Signature-feeder for book-sewing machines.



No. 678,068. Patented m a, 190:.

w & TBEVETTE. SIGNATURE FEEDER EUR B OOK SEWING MACHINES,

(Amliqasion filed Aug. 20, 1900.) (No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

an CI w sa IL L T 4: mama min on. mom-441m" wqsumuwn, D. c.

UNITED STATES] PA ENT -O cn.'

WENTWORTH G. TREVETTE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT ANDMESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO TREVETTE MACHINE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

SIG NATURE-FEEDER FOR BOOK-SEWINIGIMACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 678,068, dated July 9,1901.

Original application filed March 5, 1900, Serial No. 7,314. No. 27,445.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WENTWORTH G. TREV- ETTE, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSignature-Feeders for Book-Sewing, Stapling, and Like Machines, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in that class of devices thatareespecially intended for use in connection with book-sew ing,stapling,and other like machines for feed ing the signatures to thesewing, stapling, or other fastening devices and holding them whilebeing so operated upon. With this class of machinery the signatures aregenerally arranged in a pile at. one side of the machine and theoperator takes them from the pile, places them upon the feeder one byone, and by the feeding device the signatures are successively deliveredto the sewing or fastening devices, and when the feeding device is usedin connection with a book-sewing machine it must be withdrawn after eachsignature is sewed, because the signatures must be fed continuously andsewed together in successive order in order to form the book.

In all book-sewing machines the mode of feeding, or rather the rapiditywith which the signatures can be fed tothe sewing-de vices, practicallygoverns the speed at which the machine may be run, and therefore inreality limits and determines the capacity of the machine. Furthermore,the operations of the prior feed devices have beennecessarilycontinuous, requiring great quickness and accuracy on the part of theoperator to properly place the signatures upon the feed-arm, and hencenecessitates the employment of a skilful operator to get moderatelysatisfactory results.

Myinvention has among its primary objects to avoid the necessity for theemployment of skilled operators for feeding the signatures and to enablea substantial increase in the capacity of the machine by unskilledoperators over the prior forms of machines with skilled operators,whereby the capacity of the feeding-machine, and therefore of any sew-.

Divided and this application filed August 20, 1900. Serial (N0 model.)

ing-machin'e in connection with which it may be used,may be doubled,tripled, or quadrupled, depending solely upon the dexterity of .theparticular operator.

A further primary object of my invention is the provision of separateand independent I feeding mechanisms for successivelypresent- 3 ing thesignatures to the needles with the minimum expenditure of time andenergy, whereby afresh signature may be placed in 7 position on one ofsaid feed devices while the d her one is holding another signature Whileitisbeing stitched or fastened. v A further'objeet of my invention is tohave such separate and independent signaturefeeding mechanismssuccessively pass by and momentarily pause at a temporary support forthe signatures to receive'a'fresh signature on, its way to the fasteningdevices of the sewing or other machine in connection with which my feedmechanism is employed.

These and such other objects as may hereinafter appear are attained bythe devices illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure1 is a front elevation of a machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is acentral vertical section thereof. Fig. 3 is a plan View of the saddle;and Fig. at a diagrammatic view showing the path of movement of thefeed-arms.

- Similar letters of reference indicate the same parts in the severalfigures of the drawings. I '1 may here state that the shape of the frameof the machine for supporting my feed mech- 85 anism is immaterial, thatshown in the drawings being selected as aform in which I havepractically embodied the invention and in connection with a novelbook-sewingmechanism which forms the subject-matter of an applicationfor Letters Patent filed'by me March 5, 1900, Serial No. 7,314, of whichsaid application this application is a division.

I have not attempted to illustrate and shall not describe in detail thebook-sewing mechanism because my feeding devices are adapted for use inconnection with any book-sewing, stapling, or other machine of likeclass to which it is desired to feed the signatures for fastening. So,also, the means for driving or applying power to the operating parts ofmy machine is immaterial and would vary according to the particularmachine in connection with which my feeding devices are employed, itbeing only necessary to see that the parts are operated in proper timeto produce the desired results.

Referring by letter to the accompanying drawings, A indicates the sideframes, which may be of any suitable configuration, dimensions, andarrangement and united together in any well-known or convenient manner,so as to form a support for the operating parts of my device. Below thetable B is arranged the mechanism for operating the feed-arms O and D,which are preferably two in number, extending horizontally across thefront of the machine forward of the frames and are in the shape ofgibbet arms, being respectively supported at opposite sides by verticalposts E, each mounted upon the forward end of a pair of horizontalguide-rods F, disposed in the same vertical plane one above the other.As these feed-arms and their operating mechanisms are exact duplicates,a description of one and the reference-letters applied thereto willsuffice for both.

The guide-rods F are supported at oppositp ends in horizontal bearingsG, formed upon vertical sleeves H, loosely mounted upon verticalguide-bars I and rigidly connected together by a cross-bard. It willthus be seen that the guide-rods F are free to have a horizontallongitudinal movement in their bearings G and may also have impartedthereto a vertical bodily movement through the intermediary ofbearing-sleeves H, which slide freely up and down upon their guide-bars.This capability of movement is provided so that an orbital travel may beimparted to the feed-arms carried by the guide-rods. The orbit traversedby the feed-arm is indicated diagrammatically with substantial correctness in Fig. 4, the arrows showing the direction of movement of the armin traversingits orbit.

I am aware that it is old in the art to provide a plurality of feed-armswhich are radially mounted upon and revolve with a shaft forming acommon center for said arms; but in referring to the orbital travel ofthe feed-arms of my device I have reference to the travel of independentarms that is, arms not mounted upon a common centerin which travel allparts of the feed-arm move bodily and in substantially the same degreethrough a certain orbit as distinguished from such prior constructions,in which the arms are mounted radially upon a common center, about whichthey rotate. To produce this movement of the feed'arm, I provide asystem of cams and camlevers that are more clearl y illustrated in Fig.2. The bodily vertical movement of the guiderods is produced by means ofthe cam-lever K, connected at one end by apin-and-slot connection withthe cross-bar J at the center of length thereof, and at its opposite endpivoted at L to the rear side of the frame A of the machine. Pivotallyconnected with the lever K, between its ends, is a cam-arm M, carrying aroller N thereon near the opposite end thereof, which roller travels ina camway 0, formed in the face of a cam-wheel P, rigidly mounted upon ashaft Q, journaled in the frame of the machine. The lower end of thecam-arm M is provided with a longitudinal slot R, through which theshaft Q passes, thus afiording a guide for the said arm in its movementsinduced by the cam.

To produce the horizontal longitudinal movement of the guide-rods F, Iprovide a lever S, a cam-arm T, and a cam-wheel U, provided with acamway, which are duplicates in construction and mode of operation ofthe lever K, cam-arm M, and cam-wheel P, the cam-wheel U being alsorigidly mounted on the shaft Q, while the lever S is piv oted near thebottom of the side frames of the machine, so as to stand in a nearlyupright position. The upper end of the lever S carries a pin or rollerV,engaginga straight camway W in a yoke X, rigidly secured to theguide-rods F.

I propose to so arrange the camways of the cam-wheels P and U,whichrotate in unison,as that part of the time during each revo lution of theshaft both a horizontal and a vertical movement shall be imparted to theguide-rods,and consequently to the feed-arm, and at other times only oneof said movements shall be imparted thereto, while still at other timesno movement shall be imparted thereto, the feed-arm at such time beingmomentarily at rest. Without describing in detail the movements asproduced I will state that if the cams are so arranged as to impart tothe feed arm substantially the orbital travel illustrated in Fig. 4,which any skilled mechanic can readily produce, the results sought by mewill be attained. At the two points indicated by a the feed-arm is atrest, the lower indicating the point at which it receives the signaturecorresponding to the dotted position shown in Fig. 2 and the upperindicating the point at which the arm holds the signature up to theneedles during the sewing operation,corresponding with the position ofthe feed-arm shown by the full lines in Fig. 2.

It will be observed that starting, say, at the point of rest (indicatedby the lower the orbital travel as produced by the mechanism illustratedin my drawings will carry the feed-arm horizontally and then verticallyto a second point of rest, (indicated by the upper then verticallydownward, transversely, and vertically upward to the first point ofrest. We have thus a travel horizontally or transversely, then upwardvertically, then downward vertically, then transversely, and lastvertically upward to the starting-point. This movement of the feed-armin this orbit I termfta five-motion movement, It .will also beunderstoodthat the feed-arms are intended to alternate with each otherin their movements, so as to successively receive the signatures andcarry the same to the needles.v In the drawings I have shown two ofthese feed-arms, which I have before stated are in the shape ofgibbet-arms, which, although they extend nearly across the machine, willpass each other in traversing-their orbit, because as one goes up theother goes down in dilferent planes. Operating in conjunction with thesefeed-arms is the station ary saddle Y, secured to a bracket-arm Z,extending from one of the side frames A of the machine, said saddlebeing substantially V.- shaped in end view with the apex uppermost, aswill be seen by an .inspection of Fig. 2. The inner side of the saddleat the inner end thereof-that is, the end toward the feedarmsis cutaway, as shown at a in Fig. 3, so as to permit the feed=arms to come upunderneath the front side of the saddle and pass out of the back sidethrough the cut (1, thus insuring that the feed-arms will come up asclose as possible to the saddle to insure ease in sliding the signaturesfrom the saddle onto the arms while the latter are momentarily at reston a line with the saddle, as illustrated in Fig. 2.

The peculiar mode of operation of the feedarms is of the utmostimportance in a machine of this class, as the operation of these arms,or rather the mode of feeding, practically determines the speed at whichthe machine may be run, and therefore limits and determines the capacityof the machine. The advantages of the described arrangement of thefeed-arm and saddle are that they allow the attendant or feeder to placethesignatures in position to be presented to the nee dles for sewingwith a minimum expenditure of time, of energy, and skill, therebyenabling signature with the left hand, bring it forward,

and hold it suspended for a time, afterward grasping it with the righthand and carefully placing it on the feed-arm, which must remain inposition inactive a sufficient length of time to allow this to be doneproperly and uniformly each time. With my invention,

however, the signature is picked up by the feeder with his left hand andthrown carelessly across the saddle, where it remains until the movingarm presents itself, when it is slid onto the arm bya simple sweep ofthe right hand. It will thus be seen that as soon as the signature hasbeen thrown across the saddle the left hand isfree to. reach for anothersignature, not being compelledto hold the signature suspended, andpassit to the right hand, while the time that the feed arm must remainat rest to receive the signa: ture is reduced to the minimum, and, infact, is merely momentary, being scarcely appreciable and little morethan sufficient to change plified that this time is reduced to themini-,

mum. The machine can be allowed to run very rapidly, and the product ofthe machine as compared with other machines as heretofore constructedand operated is increased two, three, and even four fold, according tothe'dexterity of the individual operator,while at the same time a merenovice can feed the machine more rapidly than a skilled operator canfeed a machine of prior constructions. To insure the best results, agage b of some suitable construction should be secured to the upper edgeof the feed-arm, so as to insure the stopping of the signatures at theproper place upon the arm when slid thereon.

For clearness of illustration I have shown diagrammatically in thedrawings the position of the needle-gage c and the usual springpacker61, both of which may be of any suitable construction and may operate inany desired manner, as they form no part of this invention, being fullydescribed and claimed in my application before mentioned, ofwhich thiscase is a division.

The shaft Q, as before stated, may be operated in any suitable manner;but for convenience I have shown a portion of the driving mechanismfully described in my aforesaidapplication, comprising a bevel-gear -e,mounted upon the end of the shaft Q and meshing with the correspondingbevel-gear f,

secured to the lower end of a counter-shaft g, which latter carries aworm-wheel (not shown) meshing with a worm it, upon the power-shaft e',to which power may be applied by the beltpulleys j or in any othersuitable manner.

Of course other modifications may be made and will necessarily be madein applying my invention to different machines, and obviously numerouschanges in the form and construction of the parts of my machine may bel. A signature-feeder for book-sewing, sta

pling and like machines comprising a feedarm, a post carrying saidfeed-arm, and means &

for non-rotatively moving said arm and its supporting-post in an orbitfrom a point of rest first transversely and then upwardly to a secondpoint of rest, then downwardly, transversely and again upwardly to thefirst point of rest, said second transverse movement beingin a planebelow the line of said first transverse movement and for causing amomentary pause of said arm at the first point of rest to receive asignature and again at the second point of rest to hold the same duringthe operation of the signature-fastening devices, substantially asdescribed.

2. A signature-feeder for book-sewing, stapling and like machines,comprising a sta tionary saddle affording a temporary rest for thesignatures, a rigidly-mounted feed-arrri and means for imparting avertical and horizontal orbital travel to said arm and for causing saidarm to momentarily and successively pause in line horizontally with saidsaddle and adjacent to the signature-fastening devices, substantially asdescribed.

8. Asignature-feederforbook-sewing, stapling and like machinescomprising a plurality of oppositely-disposed supporting-posts, each ofsaid supporting-posts being provided with a feed-arm supported at oneend by such post the free ends of said arms extending toward each otherand means for causing said feed-arms to travel in the same orbit,substantially as described.

a. A signature-feeder for book-sewing, stapling and like machines,comprising a stationary saddle for temporarily supporting thesignatures, a rigidly-mounted feed-arm and means for moving said armhorizontally and vertically but simultaneously and successively, so thatsaid arm will be caused to bodily traverse an irregular orbit, saidactuating means being adapted to cause a momen tary pause of the arm inline with the saddle and horizontally adjacent to the signaturefasteningdevices, substantially as described.

5. A sign ature-feeder for book-sewing, sta- =4 and a system of cams andlevers for operating said rods and bearings so as to impart an irregularorbital travel to said arm and for causing said arm to momentarily pausein line with the saddle and adjacent to the signature-fastening devices,substantially as described.

6. A signature-feeder forbook-sewing, stapling and like machines,comprising a p1urality of independently-mounted feed-arms,each 6ofeed-arm being carried upon an independent support, and means forcausing said arms to travel in the same orbit and for causing the sameto successively and momentarily pause to receive a signature and to holdthe same adjacent to the signature-fastening devices, substantially asdescribed.

7. A signature-feeder for book-sewing, stapling and like machinescomprising a plurality of independently-supported and independ- 7oently-actuated feed-arms and means for causing said arms to successivelytravel from a signature-receiving point to a point adjacent to thesignature-fastening devices and then back to the signature-receivingpoint, substantially as described.

W ENTWORTH G. TREVETTE. lVitnesses:

M. E. SHIELDs, J. E. HALLENBECK.

